NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- As another day ticks by with no compromise in Washington, Jim Cramer told "Mad Money" viewers Friday that some would have expected the markets to be down huge, as they were after the TARP program was passed in 2009 and after the debt ceiling debacle of 2012. So why didn't the markets crash? Cramer said there's no easy answer.

When it comes down to it, Cramer said it's simply easier for Republicans who have pledged not to raise taxes to lower them after we go over the cliff than it is to raise them, even slightly, before hand. That means a budget deal isn't likely until January and investors should plan accordingly.

Fortunately, Cramer said his game plan for next week remains the same: Buy on weakness but only in those sectors that have proven to be strong, including anything housing-related, anything auto-related and anything that sells into a recovering China.

A compromise can be reached, Cramer concluded, but don't expect it before the Super Bowl in late January.

Executive Decision

In the "Executive Decision" segment, Cramer once again spoke with Vivek Ranadive, chairman and CEO of Tibco Software (TIBX) , a stock that got hammered when the company pre-announced weaker than expected sales on Dec. 5. Shares of Tibco are down 19% since Cramer last spoke with Ranadive in July.

Ranadive made no excuses for the miss in the quarter, calling the problem one that clearly lies with him for failure to execute. He said that in many areas, Tibco remained strong, but in some key areas they did not, which is why leadership changes were made and he feels confident the right people are now in place to get the job done.

Ranadive reminded investors that no one else analyzes data in real-time as Tibco does. Whether its making product recommendations when you're ready to buy online or helping the oil and gas industry sort through mountains of data to find the best places to drill, Ranadive said Tibco is up to three years ahead of the competition.

Cramer said Tibco is in a tough business and commended Ranadive for coming on the program and taking the blame. He fell short of recommending Tibco but told investors that it is entirely possible to miss big then come on strong thereafter.

Gambling on MGM

In this uncertain market, investors can bank on a good old-fashioned turnaround story, Cramer told viewers as he featured MGM Resorts (MGM) , a company that's not beholden to the stalemate in Congress nor the outcome of the fiscal cliff.

Cramer explained that MGM was on death's door in 2008, when the company's new CEO took over and started a relentless march towards fixing its many problems. Like many casino operators, MGM took on far too much debt in the go-go 2000s, only to be hit hard when the recession took hold. But now traffic in Las Vegas in on the mend, rising 3% this year and approaching its 2006 highs.